Opinion: The Cut-and-Run President

Global View columnist Bret Stephens on President Obama’s consideration of a speedier withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Photos: Getty Images

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... he comes to ... the potential residual force in Afghanistan after twenty fourteen ... we have long been clear ... did you see it's something that we will discuss and negotiate with the Afghan government ... we have ... made clear they ... the the they did every odd that the that that all the options are available ... include ... the zero options so called zero option ... B ... does zero option that was White House press secretary Jay Carney ... on a possible complete pullout of US troops ... from Afghanistan this comes in the wake of a very heated phone call between the president ... an Afghan leader coming Karzai while Street Journal global view calmness Bret Stephens is here brats ... foreign policy making by Pete ... oh well but key By Paul ... um ... look and Americans are in an isolationist mood than I don't think the president feels he has anything to lose politically but fully withdrawing ... our forces from Afghanistan we have to lose ... his strategic ... influence in a region where ... thousands of American servicemen have given their lives or their limbs reported billions of dollars into this country ... and let's face it we don't like coming Karzai he's government may be corrupt and he's not that Oliver ... aam and Afghanistan has not been a ... place where from which we have been attacked since we took over ... in two thousand and one ... so the ADL fully moving all of our troops and leaving Afghanistan to the tender mercies ... of the Taliban or ... the ISI in Pakistan or to the rain Aeon's two countries the ... al West is not ... in my mind ... strategically wise option ... the piece of that wonderful movie Charlie Wilson's War I sure do know we have is Korea's victory then we messed up the NBA has he put it what were doing the same thing now that the president is arrested for treason Sufism multilateral antsy and there are are you possibility of maybe three in the U N are leaving the international forces there ... is that possibility is that of ... and for perhaps a substitute for US troops one every time you and forces are deployed into a war zone the war zone becomes a massively worse looking ... at what's happening in the Congo look a what's happening to our for ... and done God forbid the same fate should be visitors on Afghans have suffered so much in the past ... several decades ... know we've made a commitment to that country's security and we should honor it ... look at Afghanistan is on a non important country not only were we ... not only did the harbor ... Harmer been lauded ... but it's also ... it's right smack between Pakistan and ... Pakistan and Iran and south of the so the south of Russia ... their strategic reasons to be there ... in the long term does that mean a hundred thousand troops no action even in ... twenty thousand troops but it should mean some trip wire American force that can ensure that the Karzai government ... isn't going to fall to the Taliban ... and by the way all these liberals talk but humanitarian considerations should consider what it what will happen ... to win and to religious minorities to free thinkers in Afghanistan ... the moment we withdraw our forces in the secret of clean feeble Karzai government ... or whatever kind of government in power waiting for the tell that to return to Kabul that's that that was to be my next question you play this out for for viewers ... let's imagine the US leaves there's an effective international force or maybe knowing or an actual force at all ... I include that sell then returned to power ... and you what ... what kind of influence with Iran play on which our motel Venice persists in its willful and has the support of the elements of the Pakistani ... military establishment ... if you will and if they don't return ... to power from all of Afghanistan an average compound all of Afghanistan the first place that was a was the Northern Alliance ... that their return from ... the ... keys to power in much of Afghanistan ... that would be an incredible setback for ... of for civilian government the region ... for peace ... and security ... and will improve the jihad his contention that all you have to do ... with the West is weak these guys out because isn't all that much to say ... the Americans of the watches but we have the time ... if you wanna give jihadism de Boost a fellow a reason to feel encouraged ... of meeting Afghanistan to the Taliban is the best way to do and ... a nation in retreat that would be